New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-25
SUNDAY EDITION.
DEC. 20, 1887.
SAVE CITY HALL PARK.
CRITICISM ON TIE PROPOSED BUILDING
OPINIONS FROM MANY SOURCES AGAINST TIE
PLAN SUGGESTED.

The opposition 10 the proposed municipal build
ng in the City Hall Park, expressed In THE TRIBUNE
and In other daily papers, finding pronounced expires.
sion among architects generally in this city and IN the
columns Of architectural building and trade papers
which are especially qualified to speak the subject
The Engineering and Building Record" formerly
known as The Sanitary Engineer y has taken deep
interest in the matter and outspoken 10 opposition 70
the whole scheme. 1t has printed a series OF articles
against the destruction OF the City Hall Park and the
mutilation of the City Hall involved In the project
The Record and Guide has also up the matter
length and In article headed Amateur Municipal
Architecture" shows the righteousness OF the plans
proposed SO preposteious are some features Of the
proposition that papers outside this city commenting
uponit.
II WOULD RUIN A GOOD PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE.
The Engineering and Building Record !" first took up
the matter on August when IL said:
Mayor Hewitt has expressed some views in regard to
the public building which should be sorry TO
room at the disposal OF the city not by the erection Of
building but by additions to tae City Hall, these
additions 10 take the shape OF wings and another story
The building. with tie exception OF the north frons
wh ar ,ss in @ stone Is architect
1t is exceedingly well designed rather pure cassio
about the only example of good IN that school in
the country An additional story would ruin the only
good example OF Its kind that we have The building
designed as 1t stands, and is OF such character az
not to admit of the supermposition OF any kind OF
This fact however, will probably have little weight
with the powers that manage these things since plans
have been prepared Tor mausari roof ON the Custom
House and an attic story was contemplated on the SUBJ
We have n good thing in the City Hail. Tamperins
with it will certainly not improve 1t and may work woe
full injury.
DESTRUCTION OF CITY HALE PARK.
On November II the following published in the
same journal:
We now again protest against the proposed apprOprt
atiOn 10y Mayor Hewitt and his colleagues Of large part
OF the remaining space OF the City Hall Park to building
purposes. shown IN the accompanying cut This In
only park except the Battery below Tnrdsf, but also
tie dwsrting and arcLi,ectuTay speaking, killing OF
found anywhere. by The erection Of two large wings"
to the pre- city Hall Building.
Now. however. that plans have been asked for, ard
some 5000 TO be expended for them trust dat
this scheme VIII progress further than the securing
of them The expenditure and the result of the
petition in securing designs Will. We hope demonstrate
the present architectural beauties of the City Hall pll
be destroyed. together with the little breathing space
ARoPFLEss AND roRLORv SUBJECT.
The architectural competition proposed for plans for
the building drew forth the following from the
same paper on November 49,
The external treatment Of building which shall bind
together such dIssmiar structures the City Hall
aud the Court House appeals to be most hopeless md
rororn subject for a competition
Let consider the cDpditions The City Hail, in two
distinct stories refined pure. deicate-a charming
treated as one 10y means OF colossal order, coarse, ur-
studied ugy-a bastard Renaissance OF the most obec
tonabIe kind and finally addition to this latter Of
wing designed in species Of Romanesque.
These are unrelated parts which II is desired to
unity by means of ak stored pile whiehIas far as rs
relation to the present buildings go-could be neither
" fish, flesh nor fowl"
AN ATTEMPT TO EvADE THE LAW.
Under the heading Amateur Municipal Architect.
ure The Record and Guide attacked tue proposed
plans vigorously in article from which the following
extracts are taken:
The ground plans and Instructions Of the Co1iais-
soners OF the sinking Fund for what is called the new
building are now accessible TO architects. A
number architects have accordingly been considering
them Tor days The more they have considered the
their wonder has grown that anybody should have
supposed the scheme thus ser forth to contain the pov-
n p0safS Ss ae SS Of s c OF
The first thing to be noted about the plan is that is
operation Tor the commissioners to be engaged in The
law pro" for building and the Commissioners pro.
Of any assgnable motive, except indeed to evadea
satGc Ia dat ,ne re be nsng De'
same helpessness appears in the Planning through
The official to whom the Commissioners of the Sinking
Fund have intrused the putting of their ideas into
might expect thahis design would least
tbe As matter OF fact 1t is quite as amatelrish in this
When we come to consider the architectural outcome
OF this disposition the prospect Is still more dscouraS
ing . Could anything he lie sised that would render
the City Hail ridiculous or the wings more prcpos
repos e. all dignity, all beauty II any architect had sub
United it as solution Of the Pro6e% how to place.
SO Interfere little as possible with the public use
aa epnaon Tue anhcTs Of this plan have
No professional reputation to lose they have made
buildings which they have invited plans. after them
SEIZE P.n TGfh hu no sompeSH san
thing worthy OF the purpose and will only reat at all IN
case he ina nes himself 10 possess pull II Is true
that the Commissioners permit the modification OF The
plan in detail within reasonable limits But no
tinkerng OF detail VIII convert their plan into anything
suitable They have made the rulhous mistake OF sup
posing that architectural advice was not needed IN order
with a building already spoiled by the crad.
tiles of amateur planning Their plan IS the product o.
fhat rlslu
assumes that the first thing that comes uto a mans
II trained and experienced and competent architect
should real design for the buildings, disregard.
Ing the plan and the programme atogether they would
for the first time see how absurd their project vas and
the whole competition would collapse But no archiecs
is least likely go to much trouble and ex-
for the purpose OF administering elementary In
structon gratis
THEY KNOW BETTER IN SYRACUSE.
Commenting the way these things are done here
The Syracuse standard says:
There IA enough architectural talent in NewYork City
10 construct splendid building that shall be verify
stead tie city quite As hlely TO have an rnsigty pe
nnicpa b@ild1r as the genius Of ign france and bad
aste can make it, II Mayor Hewitt were always a.
wise as be he would sanction the pres
mt system OF competition among fourth'class architects
the construction OF the worst possible building at the
greatest possible expense.
sCHEMING To MAKE A MoNsTIosITY
Hugh n Camp has written letter on the subject u
The Engineering and Building Record in which be
ays:
II seems TO II the design Is carried out as sug
rested, beautiful city Han will become monstros-
ty.
II bai enough TO build the Court House wneret
s FAR build the brown stone engine house. ana
sell lower end Of the park for United states
,ourt House. hut all these pieces OF stupidity pale In
COMPARISON with this project
Here We IRE about to spend SSO0O000 to $lO.0OO0vO
or parks In the upper wards. and sl,0Oo,O00t0
small parks in the lower part OF the city,
nd yet Mayor. who Is sensible about many THINGS
ends his voice fOr curtang the little there Is LETT or the
pprl heln "
Can we not public sentiment enough 10 cause
officials and leave rs. ID Its beauty our CITY
Hall for s IL is beautiful building and